In the type of apparatus mentioned, the blood recovered is sucked from the operative field, mixed with an anticoagulant solution and then temporarily stored in a filtering container. This blood is subsequently pumped into the bowl of a centrifuge where the red blood cells separate and accumulate under the effect of the high rotational speed attained (approximately 6,000 rpm). When the bowl is full, the red blood cells are washed with a sterile solution and the other components are collected into a recovery bag. At the end of the washing operation, the red blood cells are transferred into a reinfusion bag for a possible later use on the patient.
Centrifugal separators for use in such equipment are already known, for instance those described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,300,717, 4,795,419 and 4,889,524, which include a central body mounted in a rotatable bowl. These separators suffer however several drawbacks, in particular in the manner in which the bowl is mounted in the separator and driven in rotation, both being relatively complicated and expensive. Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator of a simpler and less expensive construction than those already known, while making it possible to achieve similar effectiveness. A further objective is to improve the conditions of recovery of the components after separation.